EDINBORO, Pa. -- A black student at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania illegally accessed another student's e-mail account to send racist and threatening messages to about 20 other black students, university police said.

Douglas A. Spadey, 18, of Philadelphia, was arraigned yesterday on charges of unlawful use of a computer, harassment by communication and terroristic threats, Cpl. Robert Burns said.

The messages were sent Monday and Mr. Spadey admitted sending them, Cpl. Burns said.

"This individual was trying to call attention to himself . . . (and) it blew up in his face," police Chief Tom Nelson said. "He didn't understand that this is a big issue."

The university closed the e-mail account used to send the messages and notified all students, faculty and staff of the incident.

"Acts of this nature will not be tolerated at Edinboro University," President Frank Pogue said in a statement.

Mr. Spadey was in Erie County Prison in lieu of $10,000 bond, Cpl. Burns said.